1. Field of the Disclosure
This application generally relates to methods, systems, and software applications for providing healthcare content and information and improving communication between healthcare providers and clients on wireless devices. More particularly, this application relates to methods, systems, and software applications for providing healthcare content and information and improving communication between healthcare providers, HMOs, medical providers, insurance companies, and the like and clients via wireless devices.
2. Related Art
Despite improvements in America's health care system over the last few decades, lingering challenges continue to restrain many consumers from quickly and efficiently accessing health care information and services. Some consumers simply lack the necessary communication tools to gain quick and efficient access to health care information and services. Others lack the financial resources and information to speak with health care professionals. In view of these setbacks, consumers, including those with low-incomes, thus often neglect basic health care services for themselves and their families.
Failure to obtain routine examinations prevents health care providers from detecting the early signs of a more serious problem. Health care organizations and insurance providers know all too well the realities of the reduced quality of life attributed to patients who fail to take preventive measures early on. Health care organizations and insurance providers also know all too well the realities of higher medical costs attributed to patients who fail to take preventive measures early on. That is, early and periodic examinations help detect more serious health issues which can ideally be treated to prevent excessive out of pocket costs to the consumer and improve quality of life. In instances where the consumer does not pay for medical assistance, either due to Medicaid or some other subsidy, early detection helps prevent or reduce the likelihood of medical costs being driven up for other consumers in the plan.
Lifeline was established in the 1980s by the federal government to help low-income individuals obtain monthly telephone services for the purpose of finding jobs, accessing health care services, connecting with family, and calling for help in the event of an emergency. Generally the individual must have income at or below a predetermined percentage of the federal poverty guidelines to qualify for Lifeline services. Alternatively, to be eligible, the individual can participate in one of the following federal assistance programs: Medicaid; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps or SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Federal Public Housing Assistance, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), National School Lunch Program's Free Lunch Program, Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribally-Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TTANF), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservation (FDPIR), Head Start or any State assistance programs.
With changing times, wireless phones have increasingly replaced landline phones as the primary option among consumers/users. For example, Lifeline eligible customers who may be between residences may opt to have a wireless phone on them at all times to ensure not missing an important call from a medical provider or a potential employer. Wireless phone providers have taken the initiative to provide Lifeline eligible users with the assistance they so desperately need under the federal program.
Wireless phone providers have incentivized low-income consumers to sign up and have offered a wireless phone in addition to monthly minutes and/or text messages. For example, prepaid wireless devices and wireless services may include wireless devices having prepaid accounts provided by public, private or governmental agencies (e.g., Lifeline or other U.S., state or local government supported programs for low-income individuals that provide free mobile phone services).
A need exists in the art for innovative methods, systems and software applications to help medical organizations and healthcare providers manage communications with their clients via wireless phones. Another need exists in the art for methods, systems and software applications to determine when a medical organization has contacted a client via a wireless phone to apportion a predetermined rate for this communication. Yet another need exists in the art for methods, systems and software applications to determine when a client has contacted a medical organization via a wireless phone to apportion a predetermined rate for this communication. A further need exists in the art for methods and systems of employing an application on a wireless phone allowing access to a medical organization's website and contact services. Yet a further need exists in the art for methods and systems for securely storing a client's medical information on a wireless phone and/or on a cloud server.